Katya Webster outdoors with a client and their vizsla puppy holding a training certificate
7 posts

Katya Webster

ABTC-certified dog trainer based in Edinburgh and the founder of Head Start Dog Training. Katya specialises in force-free, science-based methods that build confident, communicative, and joyfully co-operative dogs — without ever using fear, force, or intimidation. When she's not coaching families and their pups, you'll find her on the trails around Arthur's Seat with her own two dogs.

Posts by Katya Webster

Dog performing an advanced trick on command

Advanced Dog Training: Teaching Tricks and Complex Commands

Once your dog has mastered the basics — sit, stay, come, down, and leave it — the real fun begins. Advanced training opens up a whole new world of…

7 Apr 2026 by Katya Webster
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A dog being trained outdoors

Getting Started with Dog Training: The Basics

Bringing a new dog home is one of life's great joys — and one of its great responsibilities. Whether you've adopted a puppy or an older rescue,…

7 Apr 2026 by Katya Webster
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Happy dog receiving a treat reward during training

Positive Reinforcement: The Key to Effective Dog Training

If there's one thing that modern dog trainers agree on, it's this: positive reinforcement works. Backed by decades of behavioral science, reward-based…

7 Apr 2026 by Katya Webster
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Two young puppies meeting nose to nose on a grass lawn during a calm, supervised socialisation session
puppies socialisation science

A Puppy's First 8 Weeks: The Bit That Happens Before You Meet Them

The first eight weeks of a puppy's life shape the next fifteen years — and they happen at the breeder's. Here's what should be going on, and what to look for.

7 Apr 2026 by Katya Webster
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A family in an Edinburgh garden working with two young dogs on a soft autumn afternoon
announcements training

Welcome to the Head Start Blog

A new home for force-free training tips, puppy guides, and stories from real Edinburgh families and their dogs.

1 Apr 2026 by Katya Webster
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Katya outdoors with a happy client and their young poodle puppy holding a training certificate
puppies training first-week

Puppy Training Basics: Five Things to Focus On in Your First Weeks

Forget sit and shake. Here are the five things that actually matter in your puppy's first week home — and the ones that will set you up for years of success.

25 Mar 2026 by Katya Webster
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A vizsla puppy weaving through training poles in a garden, guided by two adults using positive reinforcement
philosophy science methods

What Force-Free Dog Training Actually Means (and Why It Works)

Force-free isn't a marketing buzzword. It's a commitment to a specific, science-backed way of teaching dogs — and here's exactly what it looks like in practice.

15 Mar 2026 by Katya Webster
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